Charles Compton

Sir Charles Compton (November 1661) was a Northamptonshire landowner, a Cavalier in the First English Civil War, and briefly an MP for Northampton after the Restoration.

Family Compton was the second son of Spencer Compton, 2nd Earl of Northampton of Castle Ashby and his wife Mary. and accomplished at music and mathematics. Another source gives their birth years as 1623 and 1625, with Spencer and Francis both 1629. Felicia later married, thirdly, MP John Beaumont. Anne (buried 8 January 1730), second daughter, who married (by 1686, as his third wife) Sir Thomas Domvile, 1st Baronet

Career In the First English Civil War, Compton was lieutenant colonel in the regiment of his brother the 3rd Earl. Arthur Collins, citing Lloyd, wrote that Compton was "distinguished for sobriety, moderation, discipline, conduct, and activity in the field". The Mercurius Politicus described him as "acting like the Knight of the Burning Pestle in all the country between Oxford and Banbury". Among the engagements in which he fought were Hopton Heath, where his father was killed, Compton was made knight bachelor at Oxford on 12 December 1643 alongside his brothers William and Spencer. In January 1645 Charles and William led an assault to retake Compton Wynyates, the Earl's seat, from William Purefoy; they captured outbuildings but had to withdraw for lack of reinforcements. On 26 February 1645, near Daventry, they led 300 horse to victory over 400 Roundheads.

In the Second English Civil War and Interregnum Compton was suspected of royalist sympathy but paid £127 to the Committee for Compounding with Delinquents in 1648 and lived quietly.

After the Restoration, Compton received a commission in the Royal Horse Guards and became a justice of the peace and deputy lieutenant. An engraving of this was included in Henry Drummond's 1846 Histories of noble British families and published separately by William Pickering. A miniature c. 1645–1650 by Samuel Cooper is in a private collection in Scotland. A portrait by Peter Lely at Ham House was formerly identified as Sir Charles Compton but is now identified as John Leslie, 1st Duke of Rothes. In the same room hangs Lely's portrait of Sir William Compton, whom David Lloyd says was Charles' identical twin,

Styles to 12 December 1643: the Honourable Charles Compton from 12 December 1643: the Honourable Sir Charles Compton